This component describes the procedures for planning, reviewing, selecting and funding developmental research projects. The Management and Oversight Committee will evaluate and select the applications submitted by participating scientists. The basis for the request and criteria for selection of the projects is based on a modified NIH-style R-21 format. Four projects are presented that were selected for year 1: "Role of Bacillus anthracis Anthrolysin O in the Pathogenesis of Anthrax" (Rest, R. PhD, Drexel University College of Medicine); "Protease Inhibitors as Antiviral Therapy for West Nile Virus Infection" (Padmanabhan, R. PhD, Georgetown University School of Medicine); "Cloning and Expression of Plasmid-Encoded Proteins in Coxiella burnetti for Diagnosis and Vaccine Development" (Cuff, C. PhD, West Virginia University); and "Genomic Expression Library Immunization for Identification of alpha-beta T cell-Reactive Francisella tularensis Proteins" (Mincheff, M. PhD, George Washington University School of Medicine). The principal strengths of this component include the criteria and procedures for project evaluation and selection that are appropriate and have been successfully tested; the special scoring considerations given to under-represented institutions that will encourage submissions from these organizations; the incorporation of new investigators into the biodefense field; and four projects proposed that broaden the scope and are consistent with the RCE research program. The principal weaknesses include the lack of provisions for evaluating the success or failure of the awarded projects; the lack of information regarding the future direction of the four proposed projects; and the lack of clarity regarding how the successful projects will be integrated into the RCE program. After discussion, the review panel concluded that the plans for requesting, reviewing, selecting and funding projects were very good; however, the lack of plans for evaluating project progress and success dampened enthusiasm.